Milder strain of flu has been most common cause of cases this flu season
MONDAY, March 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — It looks like the flu season has peaked in the United States, though there has been a recent rise in the number of cases involving a more severe flu strain.
Flu was widespread in 48 states last week, down from 49 the previous week, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update released Friday. CDC experts believe there is a 90 percent chance the flu season has peaked, the Associated Press reported.
A milder strain of flu has been the most common cause of cases this flu season. But during the last two weeks, about 60 percent of flu virus samples tested were a strain called Type A H3N2, which tends to cause more hospitalizations and deaths, especially in the elderly, the AP reported.
There have been 20,000 to 30,000 flu-related deaths in the United States so far this winter, about 300,000 flu-related hospitalizations, and around 25 million flu illnesses, according to the CDC.
AP News Article
More Information: CDC
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